Dumping conveyer mechanism for furnaces



Marmara 4r, 193$? F. R. cam! ET AL DUMPING CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR FURNACES Filed Dec. '8, 1.927

INVENMRJ:

1'? R. comer A. LLARSEH 3 h i w BY zAeL-A A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE FRED R. COLBY AND ARNOLD L. LABSEN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE SUR- FACE COMBUSTION COMPANY, INC., 01 TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK DUMPING OONVEYER MECHANISM FOR FURNACES Application filed December 8, 1927'. Serial No. 238,731.

This invention relates to improvements in conveyer mechanism suitable for use in connection with heat treating furnaces where the articles to be treated are required to be placed in pans or containers and the container contents dumped before the containers pass out of the furnace.

. The invention has for its object to provide a simple and reliable means 'for dumping the container contents. In accordance with this invention there is provided within the furnace a track, the continuity of which is interrupted by an unbridged space which forms the mouth of a chute into which the articles contained in relatively shallow containers are to be dumped before the containers are allowed to pass out of the furnace.

The containers are entered into the furnace by being placed on a loading platform or track extension in front of the furnace and are pushed into the furnace by a reciprocating pusher. The containers upon arriving immediately in front of the chute are taken in tow by another forwarding mechanism which 2 moves them across the mouth of the chute in a manner to allow the containers to tilt on a transverse axis whereb to dump the container contents. This a ditional forwarding mechanism is a reciprocating mechanism having a stroke which is considerably longer than the distance across the mouth of the chute. This forwarding mechanism in addition to moving the containers across the point of dumping also serves to move the containers out of the furnace after the containers have been dumped. For a further understanding of the invention reference is made to the detaileddescription taken in connection with the accom anying drawings forming part of this speci cation.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the improved conveyer and dumping mechanism, the view being taken inwardly of the longitudinal center line of the mechanism. In this view one of the containers is shown in dumping position and part way across the unbridged space or chute mouth.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the conveyor and 50 dumping mechanism parts being in section,

the mechanism being shown in combination with a heat-treating furnace which has been more or less diagrammatically illustrated.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing how the containers are supported on the tracks.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through one of the containers.

In the drawings, 10 generally indicates a straight-away track, the continuity of which is interrupted as at C b the mouth of a chute generally indicated in ig. 2 at 12. For convenience of description that section of track leading toward the chute is identified by reference character a and the other section of the track leading away from the chute by b. The track preferably consists of side rails 10 and a central rail 10. Shallow pans or containers 14 are adapted to be moved over the tracks toward and away from the mouth C of the chute. In order to prevent the containers from jumpin off the tracks, the latter are provided wit upstanding flanges and the bottom of the containers are provided with depending'ribs or webs 16 for riding on the tracks.

Referring to Fig. 2, letter F indicates any suitable heat treating furnace through which the containers may be passed, it being noted that the mouth of the chute 12 is within the furnace adjacent to the discharge end thereof. The track section a will extend beyond the entrance end of the furnace and constitute a loading platform for the containers. The containers are periodically advanced toward the chute a given distance by a transversely extending pusher bar 18 adapted to be reciprocated by any suitable mechanism, a part of which is indicated at 19, said distance being equal to the width of a container.

The mechanism for carrying the containers across the space C will now be explained. Bridging the space C at each of the two sides thereof is a channelled way 20. The bottom of this way near the front of the chute dips downwardly as indicated at 22 and continues forwardly some little distance as indicated at 24. It may then'be continued upwardly for a short distance as a wall 26. 28 indicates a bar for which the way 20 forms a support. To one end of this bar is pivotally connected on a transverse axis a hook-like member 30. In Fig. 2 the hook is shown as resting within the pocket formed by the depressed bottom 2% of the way. This bar 28 extends through the exit end of the furnace for a suitable distance. The underside of the bar isprovided with a rack 32 for an ap ropriate part of its length for meshing wit a pinion 34: secured on a shaft 36. This shaft is connected by suitable train of gears 37 to a motor 38 of the reversible type. When the motor is energized it will rotate in one direction for a given number of revolutions to move the bar 28 a predetermined distance in one direction and then reverse and move the bar back the same distance. Reversing motors of this type are well known in the art and need not e further described. Any other suitable mechanism for reciprocating the bar may be employed. It may be stated at this point that the bar 28 is reciprocated in synchronism with the pusher bar 18 in such a manner that when the pusher has reached the limit of its inward stroke the bar 28 will begin moving in the same direction to take up the progression of the container nearest the chute. The mechanism for initiating the operation of the motor 38 for the described purpose may be of any suitable form, as for example, a switch mechanism 40 arranged in a circuit 42 of the motor, this switch mechanism being actuated by the pusher 18 through a suitable element 44-. secured to the pusher 18 as conventionally illustrated in the drawings.

Each container 14 is provided with alined trunnions 46 of a length to extend over the ways 20. These trunnions are arranged forwardly of the transverse center line of the containers 14 in order that when the containers are supported by the trunnions they may tilt to dump the contents of the containers. Ordinarily the trunnions 46 will be ositioned at the extreme forward end 0 the containers as shown in the drawing. When the hook 30 is in the position shown in Fig.

the hooks are drawn along the way 20, the

container will of course begin to tilt as soon as the end of the container most remote from the trunnions 46 leaves the track section a. The free end of the container upon leaving the track .section a will move down the slo ing side 50 of the chuteiland will eventual y swing free whereupon t e container will assume a substantially perpendicular position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The side wall of the chute nearest the exit end of the fur nace has a curved or cam-like surface as indicated at 52. The pendant container will eventually abut said curved part 52 and be again tilted on its trunnions until it reaches a'horizontal position -on a" level with the track section b on which it continues its further progress. The hook 30 pulls the container far enough along to bring it outside of the furnace a distance preferably somewhat greater than the width of the container. The containers after havingarrived on the track section b are moved therealong step by step as the hook mechanism reciprocates as will now be readily understood. In other words, when the hook disposes a container on the track section b the container will engage with the container last disposed on the track and move it along. In so far as this particular invention is concerned the containers 14 after having arrived on the track section 6 outside of the furnace may be removed therefrom in any suitable manner and again positioned on the track" section a 1 leadin into the furnace, it being understood that t e materials to be heat treated are placed within the containers at some appropriate point.

As the trunnion end of the container leaves the track section a it will tip downward as shown in Fig. 2 until the trunnions 46 rest on the top of the channelled way 20. The trunnions are now in position to be engaged by thehooks 30 as they move forward as will be readily understood from the preced ing description. r

In view of the fact that a separate'mechanism is employed for continuing the progress of the containers after they have arrived at the chute ready for dumping their contents, it will be readily appreciated that no interference between the containers can occur during'the dumping period of their movement. V The conveyer mechanism of the present invention is simple and practical and provides for variation in dimensions of the containers from a cold to a hot state. It is quite immaterial to thedumping mechanism'where the container ap roaching the chute happens to stop on'the orward limit of the pusher bar so long as it stops some place forwardly ofthenormal position. of the hook. In other words, the range of stopping position of the container is about equal to the width of the container. This lee-way is 'am 1y sufficient to take care of any minor di erences in width of the containers and of expansion of the series of containers between the usher bar 18 and the normal position of the hook 30 in front of the chute.

Althou h we have shown an operative device, still 1t will be obvious that any changes may be made in size, shape or arrangement of parts without departing materially from the spirit of the invention andwe wish therefore that our showing be taken in a sense diagrammatic.

What is claimed is: 1. A conveyer comprising in combination, a track having its continuity interrupted by an unbridged space, containers adapted to be moved alon the track, means reciprocable alongside sai space, and means for establishing pivotal connection between the containers and said reciprocable means to move the containers across said space whereby the containers may tilt about the connection to dump the container contents into said space in moving thereacross.

2. A conveyer comprising in combination, a track having its continuity interrupted by an unbridged space, containers adapted to be moved along the track, means reciprocable alongside said space in parallelism with said track, trunnions on the containers overlying the reciprocable means, and means movable with the reciprocable means for establishing "the containers across said space.

4. A conveyer'comprising in combination, a track having its continuity interrupted by an unbridged s ace, containers adapted to be moved along t e track, means reciprocable alongside said space in parallelism with said track, trunnions on the containers overlying the reciprocable means and vertically ,movable means for establishing connections between the reciprocal means and the trun nion to move the containers across said space.

5. A conveyer comprising in combination,

- a track having its continuity interrupted by an unbridged s ace, containers adapted to be moved along t e track, means reciprocable alongside said space in parallelism with said track, trunnions on the containers overlying the reciprocable means, prone-lying hooks pivoted to the reciprocable means, and means for elevatin the hooks into operative engagement with the trunnions to move the containers across said space while hanging from their trunnions.

6. A conveyer comprising in combination, a track having an unbridgedspace, containers movable on the track, trunnions projecting from the containers laterally of the track, an upturned hook normally occupying a position in advance of said space below the level of said trunnions, a hook-supporting way at a level above said normal'position whereby the book when resting on the way will assume a position to engage with the trunnions, means for elevating the hook onto said way, and means for moving the hook forwardly a suflicient distance to carry the containers beyond said space whereby the containers after eing carried across the said space may be de osited on the continuation of said track.

A conveyer comprising in combination, a track having an unbridged space, containers for movement across the track, a pair of trunnions on each container one at each side, a bar reciprocable in parallelism with the track one at each side of said space, an upturned hook pivotally secured to the free end of each bar the hook normally occupying a position in advance of said space and below the level of said trunnions, a hooksupporting way at a level above said normal position of the hook whereby the hook when resting on the way will assume a position to engage with the trunnions, an arcuate surface up which the hook rides onto said way as its bar moves in the direction of travel of said containers, means for pushing the containers step-by-step toward said space a distance substantially equal to the width of a container, means actuated by the pusher means to start one complete reciprocation of said reciprocable bar, the containers being adapted to turn about their trunnions in moving across said space whereby to dump the container contents, and an arcuate surface up which the tilted containers may ride onto the continuation of said track, the hooks being moved by the bars beyond said arcuate surfaces.

8.- A conveyer comprisi in combination,

,a track having an unbridge s ace, containers adapted to be moved over t e track, trunnions on each container projecting laterally outwardl of the track, means for pushing the contamers toward said space, and means for movingethe containers across said space and there yond in one continuous movement, said means including means for su porting the containers one at a time by their trunnions whereby the container contents may 'be dumped in crossing said s ace.

9. A conveyer comprisin in com ination, a track having an unbrid edspace, containers adapts to be mover? over the track,

trunnions on each container projecting laterally outwardly of the track, means for pushing the containers forwardly toward said space a distance substantiallyequal to the width of a container, means adapted to be pro ectedppwardly behind the trunnions of the container nearest said space to move it alon and means for sup orting the container y its trunnions while'crossing said ace whereby the container contents may be umped into said space.

10. A conveyer comprising in combination,

of the tra a'track having its continuity interrupted by an unbridge'd sgaoe, containersadapted to be moved along t e track, means reciprocable alongside said space means for'establishing pivotal connection etween the containers and said reciprocable means when the con- ..tainers approach said space whereby the con tainers may tilt about the connection to dump the container contents into said space, means for pushing the containers forwardly toward said space a distance substantially equal to the width of a container and means actuated by the pusher means to start one complete reciprocation of said reciprocable means,

11. A conveyer comprising in combination, a track havin an unbrid ed space, means reciprocable a ongsidelsai ace in a path of travel longer than 'the distance across said space, containers adapted to-be moved -over the track, trunnions on the containers atone side of the center line thereof, means at the sides of said space for supporting the containers by their trunnions, means carwar'd said space, and separate means at the sides of said ace for movmg the pans there across while anging from their trunnionsand delivering them in horizontal position onto the track therebeyond.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signadied by the reciprocable means adapted to be projected behind the trunnions for moving them alon and means for reciprocating said reciproca le means.

a 12. Ina furnace conveyer, the combination of a track having an unbridgeel space, cona tainers adapted to be moved over the track, trunnions on the Y containers j projecting laterally'of the track, reciprocable ineans'fcr supporting the containers by their trunnions while being moved across said space, and means engageable with the trunnions for movin the containers across'said space 13., tion, a work container, a container-supporting track interrupted by an nnbridged space, means for passing the container over said space in a manner to damp the container contents into the space, said means comprising travelling means for engang the container on pivotal connections at teside of the com tainer, I

' 14." A conveyer comprising, in combina conveyer comprising", in combination, a track having its, continuity internal ted by an unbridged space, means for pus ing work container's toward said space while sup ported on the track section leadin toward said space, and separate means sync ironized with'said pushing means for moving the com tainers across said space in a manner to 'per mitthe containers to dump their contents;

15; In combination, a track having an an trunnionscpxrqecting from the pans laterally.

means for moving the pans to 

